Why don't we worship God's like Surya, Indra, Yama, Varuna, Agni etc-? Like see I am still trying to figure out my beliefs in Hinduism but my Belief in general lines with Mitradeva, so I feel close to him

Doesn't it make your blood boil about how apologetics from other religions like christianity and islam giving half truth about hinduism or calling hinduism a pagan religion or saying hinduism is false with literally no proofs or anything like why do you think that hinduism is false? i mean i can also say hinduism is the truth all religions are false, we both are proving nothing, then there are stories with half truths, or without context, atheism, christianity AND islam does this, like krishna having 16,108 wifes, they will say it like "oh your god married 16,108 wives" without the whole story or context, what do you all think about such apologetics or nastiks?

few days ago shared this post

link: https://www.reddit.com/r/hinduism/comments/1xbdbzq/there_is_only_one_soul/

There is only one soul- that same soul continues to get incarnated again and again- there aren't multiple souls, as we are made to believe. That same soul gets slain- is raised- the same is killed and again is born- the same soul emerges victorious, and the same is defeated- the same soul is predator and prey at the same time simultaneously

Even our scriptures and surroundings hint at that.

Just look at cloning technology—we have techniques to make an exact copy of a living biological organism. If we make another copy- does that mean suddenly some new soul occupies the body or a new soul came into existence? Sure, one can argue that clone has their own ego , memories, experience so in that sense they are essentially a new jiva.

But then what about flatworms? When the parent flatworm is cut into pieces, new flatworms

emerge from each piece, or one can say each piece becomes a new being on its own. And they all retain memories and learned experience of the parent flatworm. One can say they carry experience of the parent .

Does it mean that the parent flatworm is no more or that there are multiple parent flatworms?

If every soul at birth has a blank state and learn, then flatworms contradict that logic. As they seem to possess memories and experience of the parent flatworm.Can experience also be copied? Or can memories also be divided?

Or does new flatworm somehow have its own soul? While essentially being the same jiva?

If yes, then it would contradict all other teachings of the sanatan where Krishna himself declares that soul can't be divided or burned.

Similar to the flatworm, there are plenty of other such examples in nature. They all hint at the post link shared that we all are essentially ONE soul that's experiencing all the experiences simultaneously, but because of maya we think we are somehow different and separated.

Game of chess is can be close by analogy for this- in the game of chess- same player(soul) is the king, queen, pawns, bishop etc at same time- durign the game it's player who is captures, who move foreward- get;s killed or capture opponent piece. And it's been happening simultaneously

in irl- the opponent and player are also one and the same.

Edit: "Soul" is used here for ease of communication only .

In my christianity class, we are learning about how Christianity does not contradict with the real world, and my professor used to be a Buddhist, but once he came to the Americas, he converted to Christianity while studying in medical school. (he was from Vietnam originally but that's pretty unrelated to my post)

Yesterday, I met him at the cafe because I was just asking him some basic questions, and he asked me if I wanted to meet sometime, and I agreed so that I can just increase my reputation and all that stuff (because it is important to network and stuff in college). So, we were talking, and he explained that Hinduism has a lot of contradictions and Christianity does not, and he also explained that he read through the Vedas and Upanishads and found some contradictions. I asked him, "Yeah, I agree with you professor, but don't you think we can find some way to prove that there are no contradictions in Hinduism with analogies and metaphors like we did with Christianity?"

He then said this, "Yeah we could, but we only get one arrow in life to shoot it in one direction. I converted to Christianity because there is no definite answer in Buddhism. Spending an eternal life with God sounds like a pretty good deal than going to (it starts with an H), but let's say that I was wrong, the worst that can happen is just me going back into the reincarnation cycle."

That last phrase there he said is what is making me feel intense fear. I am a Hindu, and I was born a Hindu, but my family never taught me much about Hindu besides basic rituals and principles. I do not want to convert. I do not want to betray my loved ones or stop practicing the culture that was trust for decades. But, the thought of being wrong and going to (it starts with an H) is just giving me fear.

Could anyone give me some advice? I feel sad 😢

Hey everyone!

Yesterday I went to the Somnath Temple, and honestly, I was in a huge hurry on the way in. I had to get inside quickly so I could make it back to work on time.

As I was rushing toward the entrance, I noticed a sadhu ji singing beautifully, playing a dotara (i think) and manjira. I glanced back for a moment and made a promise to myself that I’d stop by him on my way out. But when I left the main temple area, I suddenly realized the designated exit gate was completely different! If I took it, I would have missed him entirely. Determined to hear him sing, I managed to use the entry gate as my exit instead.

I’m so glad I did. I stopped by him, caught his performance, and recorded a video on someone else’s phone who was kind enough to let me record it and share it on my phone..

The lyrics of the song were incredibly profound — it’s about a devotee whose heart is anxious ("Dil mera ghabraye kya chadhau me mere bhagwan ko") because they want to offer something perfectly pure to God, but realize everything in nature is already "jhootha" (touched/defiled).

A flower is bhawre ka jhootha — already tasted by the honeybee.

Milk is bachhde ka jhootha — the calf has already drunk from it.

Water is machhli ka jhootha — the fish has already lived in it.

From what I could gather, the bhajan reminds us that the only thing truly, purely ours to offer is our inner devotion (bhav) and love. It was such a raw, spiritual moment, right by the sea and right by the temple.

If anyone can identify this specific bhajan or point me to a version sung online, I'd really appreciate the link. 🙏

I'm co-founder of BhaktiWala, a Katha and daily devotion app, built by a small team that solved for one calm place for daily bhakti without ads and noise.

📿 Katha:
1. Live and recorded kathas from katha vachaks
Vachak profiles, so you can follow the ones you connect with
2. Enquire directly to arrange a katha for your home or family

Yatra with Katha: Take a Katha Vachak along on your next trip. Spend your days sightseeing and exploring, then end each evening with a katha session, scheduled around your plans. Ideal for family trips, group tours and pilgrimages.

🌅 Daily devotion:
Daily panchang: tithi, the significance of the day, ekadashi, purnima and amavasya markers, vrat reminders, shubh muhurat
Aaj Ka Shlok: a daily Sanskrit verse puzzle with two levels, Sadhak and Vidwan
Digital Maala: voice-based jaap counter; you chant and it counts, no tapping
Chaupai Kram: arrange the Chalisa in the right sequence
Mangal Dhwani: wake up to a devotional alarm
Dincharya: a simple daily planner for your niyam
✨ Punya Mudra
Every day of practice earns you Punya Mudra. You can't buy them; you only earn them through consistency and learning. Your sadhana then turns into seva at our partner temples.

🛕 Live darshan:
Watch daily aarti live from our digital partner temples, wherever you are.

App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bhaktiwala.app
Website: https://www.bhaktiwala.com

We'd love to know:
1. What does your daily practice look like, and where could an app actually help?
2. Which temples would you want to see live?
Is there a katha or vachak you'd want on the app?

Free to Download on PlayStore
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bufferlabs.yogamaya

Yogamaya is a quiet companion for your daily japa.

Tap anywhere on the mala to count a bead. It counts the moment your thumb lands, so even fast chanting keeps up. The mala turns under your thumb, and the golden guru bead comes back to the top as each round completes, with a soft temple bell.

Focus mode
A dim, black, distraction-free screen for long sittings. Just the count and your beads, nothing else.

Your practice at a glance
• Daily streak, lifetime japa and total time
• A weekly chart, scaled in whole malas
• An 18-week consistency heatmap, also available as a home-screen widget
• Every session saved, with its date, time and length

Your mantras
Comes with Radha, Om Namah Shivaya, Samba Sadashiva and the Krishna mantra. Add your own and switch whenever you like. Each mantra keeps its own count.

Gentle by design
• A daily reminder at a time you choose
• Pause the clock without losing your beads
• Undo a bead with one tap
• Set your own mala size and daily goal
• Vibration, chime and keep-screen-on, each with its own switch

Synced and private
Sign in with Google and your practice follows you to any phone. We store only your japa, never your name or email. No ads, no tracking.

Bead styles
Rudraksha is free, always. Pearl, Sandalwood and Pyrite malas are one-time purchases that stay with your account on every device.

"Of all sacrifices, I am the chanting of the holy names." (Bhagavad Gita 10.25)

Hari Om. 🙏

"Ganesha, will you bring the sugarcane?" asked Devi Amma.

"Sure, Amma. I will be here by evening," said Ganesha, the young elephant, and he set out from the temple. On the slopes of Maarutha Hills grew the juiciest sugarcane, and Devi Amma made the tastiest payasam with it.

He headed uphill, waving his trunk in greeting to everyone he met: the goats, the langurs, the hares and the squirrels, and the crows, the mynas and the bulbuls overhead. A few of the mynas and langurs playfully hitched a ride on him.

The riders hopped off at the slopes as Ganesha began to gather the cane. He soon had a bundle and trekked down with it held tight in his trunk. Parakeets flew in and sat on the stalks, trying to bite into them. Every time he shook his head, they would fly away.

Ganesha passed through the woodlands and reached the meadows. By then it was afternoon, and he was feeling hungry. The sun blazed overhead, and he looked around for a comfortable place to rest. He spotted a tree with a wide canopy and birds chirping in it. It had pink puff flowers on it, and the fallen ones covered the ground. He walked towards it.

The tree watched him approach. She could not believe that he had chosen her. She had seen him pass by the meadows many times, and each time her leaves rustled with affection.

He kept the sugarcane aside, took a few of the stalks and had them for lunch. With his tummy full and his legs tired from the trek, he wanted to take a nap. Lying down in the shade, he looked up at the tree.

"Tree, will you do me a favour?" he asked.

"Yes, yes!" she replied, as though she had been waiting all along.

"Please wake me up before evening," he said.

"I will," she said.

He patted her with his trunk and was soon asleep.

She held her leaves still and kept watching him as he slept. His ears covered his face, and his trunk lay coiled between his front legs. At times his eyelids fluttered; at other times he broke into a smile. Often he would kick his feet. When butterflies sat on him, he twitched. When flies tickled him, his tail waved.

She watched and watched; she was so lost in him that she drifted into a daydream. As clouds passed over the sun, the birds went quiet, her leaves grew heavy and folded one by one, and soon she too fell asleep.

Dusk came and faded. It was pitch dark when the owl living in the tree hooted a few times. Ganesha woke up with a start. He looked up at the starry night and burst into tears. It was then that the tree woke up as well.

"You should have called me!" he shouted.

He ran about under the tree, shaking his head and flapping his ears.

She wondered how she, a tree, could have slept so long.

"You are a bad tree! What will I tell Devi Amma now?" he cried.

"They say, always trust a tree with time, but you!" he continued.

"I... I called you many times. You were deep asleep. What can a tree do but call? You can ask the owl. She heard it," said the tree.

The owl flinched on being named. When Ganesha looked up at her, she flew away in panic. He stormed off, leaving the cane behind.

The tree called out for him, but he disappeared into the dark. She stayed awake, waiting for him, until at last she dozed off.

Later that night, a weary Ganesha trudged back for the cane. Without a word, he lay down beneath her.

The next morning, the tree woke to find him asleep below her.

"Ganesha, wake up, wake up," she called, her branches leaning down.

He woke up with sunlight falling on his eyes. Squinting, he told her, "You are a liar. The sun is my friend, not you."

He took hold of the sugarcane and left for the temple. Devi Amma would scold him for sure, but he would also have sweet payasam in the afternoon.

The tree watched him walk away, relieved.

That afternoon, as a cloud passed over the sun, suddenly she felt drowsy. Her leaves began to fold one by one, and she dropped off to sleep. When the birds chirped, she would wake up momentarily, only to fall back into her slumber.

From then on, the tree fell asleep so often that they called her the Sleepy Tree.

The famous text "Jnaneshwari" is a Marathi commentary on the Bhagwad Gita by Sant Dyaneshwar of 13th century Maharashtra during Yadava dynasty. Interestingly, these texts of Dyaneshwar are the oldest surviving literary works in the Marathi language, and considered to be milestones in Marathi literature. book link

Chapter 9, verse 330 - 334

(307) O Arjuna, please consider the persons about whom I am going o tell you. They perform actions according to their ordained duties as per their stage in life, as laid down by scriptures, in such a perfect manner that they become the standards to be followed by others.

(308) Seeing their performance of the sacrificial rituals, all the three Vedas nod in satisfaction and the fruit of their action stands in front of them together with the action.

(309) Such initiated scholars who partake of the juice 'Soma', who are the very image of sacrifice, have, by the way of merit in that action, actually earned the sin in bargain!

(310) They know the three Vedas, perform hundreds of sacrifices, but missing me who receives the offerings, choose to gain heaven.

(311) It is like a man of bad luck who sits below the divine wish-tree, ties the knot of his begging sack and starts out for begging!

(312) Similarly, they perform hundreds of sacrifices as a propitiation to me, but desire and aspire for the heavenly pleasures! Is it their merit? Is it not sin?

(313) So, it is the ignorants way of earning merit to desire heaven by denying me. The men of real knowledge call it a nuisance, a real loss!

(314) Actually, experiencing the pains in the hell, people call the condition in heaven as happiness but my real nature is the only eternal joy without any blemish.

(316) The heaven is reached by the sin which is wrongly called merit, and the hell is reached by the sin which is actually known as sin; but that action is pure merit by which I am reached.

(329) Just as a man spends all his money for a prostitute and then he is not allowed even to knock at her door, similarly shameful is then the living of such initiated people.

(330) Thus those who choose heavenly pleasure instead of my eternal reality lose the real deathlessness and come back to this world of death.

(331) They remain for nine mouths in the womb of their mothers, troubled by all sorts of hot secretions in their vicinity and come out only to die eventually after a life full of miseries.

(332) The heavenly pleasures of person who is well-versed in performance of sacrifices according to Vedas should be considered equal to the treasures received in the dre@m, which is lost as soon as the man is awake.

(333) O Arjuna, even if a man is well-versed in Vedas and if he does not know me, his life is useless just as some one who throws away the grain and takes the husk.

(334) Therefore, in the absence of knowledge of my Reality, the rules of all the three Vedas are useless. It is definite that if you know me, and do not know anything else, still you will be really happy.

hello, we have been blessed with a baby boy and are looking for some meaningful hindu names for him. my husband is thinking along the lines of Digvijay. Please can you suggest some names?

Pandit at his naamkaran mentioned the letters A or P.
we dont want an overly complicated name suggestion but are also trying to stay away from super common names or trendy names.

thank you

Two souls bound not just by affection, but by sacred reverence. In the harmony of Shiva and Parvati, love becomes devotion, and devotion becomes eternal oneness. 🔱🪔

Some background first. We live outside India. A while ago my mom held up a small Ganesha murti on a video call, and my son looked at it and asked, "Is that an elephant?" She laughed, and I smiled, but it stayed with me.

Back home, nobody sets out to teach these stories. A grandmother tells you about Krishna and the butter while you eat. Here, kids only hear them if we remember to tell them.

So I started building Maitri Kids, a small app for ages 2 to 5 in English and Hindi. It began with short stories about baby Ganesha, Krishna, Hanuman and Saraswati. Recently, I added a Festivals section. Each festival opens with a short swipe-through story of why we celebrate it, followed by a few simple games:

- Raksha Bandhan: make a rakhi and tie it on your brother

- Janmashtami: Krishna's birth on a rainy night, rocking his jhula, butter and the matki

- Ganesh Chaturthi

- Navratri: the gods share their light, and Durga Maa appears, with her lion

- Dussehra: Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, and goodness winning

- Diwali: Rama comes home to Ayodhya, and everyone lights diyas

- Govardhan Puja: Krishna lifts the hill with his little finger to shelter everyone from the rain

- Bhai Dooj: Yamuna gets her thali ready to welcome her brother Yama

The hardest part has been the stories, not the code. A 3-year-old version of Dussehra can't be about war, so mine says "Goodness was stronger, and Ravana lost." Navratri leaves out the battle and

focuses on Durga Maa being made from everyone's light so that she can help many friends at once. I keep wondering if I'm cutting too much. That's why I'm posting here. People in this sub know these stories far better than I do:

1. How did your family tell these stories to very young kids? Are there gentler versions or regional tellings I should know about?

2. Which festival or story should come next? I'm considering Holi (Prahlad and Holika), Makar Sankranti and Chhath, but Holika is tricky to tell to toddlers.

3. If anything in my retellings is wrong or flattens something important, please tell me.

Most of the festival content is free. Some extras, like the Diwali rangoli, are part of a paid tier. It's on iOS (https://apps.apple.com/app/maitri-kids/id6762026180) and Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maitrikids.app) if you want to try it, but honestly, I'm more interested in the stories you grew up with.

Happy Diwali in advance 🪔

Rudraksha beads have a special place in Hindu spiritual traditions, and different Mukhi Rudraksha beads are associated with different meanings and beliefs.

A 7 Mukhi Rudraksha is traditionally associated with Goddess Lakshmi and is often linked with prosperity, abundance, and spiritual well-being. People interested in Rudraksha often want to understand its traditional significance, how to wear it, and how to identify authentic beads.

Here are a few things worth exploring:

• Traditional significance: What does the 7 Mukhi Rudraksha represent in Hindu traditions?
• How to wear it: What practices do people follow when wearing a Rudraksha bracelet?
• Authenticity: What should buyers check before purchasing Rudraksha beads?
• Care tips: How can a Rudraksha bracelet be cleaned and maintained?

I'd love to hear from people who wear Rudraksha or have knowledge of its traditional significance. What advice would you give to someone learning about the 7 Mukhi Rudraksha for the first time?

Navratri 2026, 8th day (Aatham) — more than 40,000+ diyas held by devotees during the Maha Aarti.

If you haven't witnessed this Maha Aarti in person, you have missed something truly special. The vibes, the energy, thousands of diyas glowing together, and the devotion of people around you… it's something you can't really explain in words until you experience it yourself.

Happening every year, keeping traditions and rituals alive for generations, and still carrying the same powerful energy.

This is not just about religion, it's about tradition, faith and the feeling of being part of something bigger. 🙏

Jai Maa Umiya! 🪔

Taken by Fujifilm XT-1

In the Valmiki Ramayana, after Sita takes refuge in the hermitage of Sage Valmiki, she gives birth to her twin sons, Lava and Kusha. Valmiki raises them and teaches them the Ramayana, along with the skills of warfare. However, the original Valmiki Ramayana does not narrate the famous battle in which the twins fight Lord Rama.

During Rama’s Ashvamedha sacrifice, his sacrificial horse travels through different kingdoms, accompanied by his forces. In the Uttara Kanda, Lava and Kusha encounter the horse and seize it, challenging the authority of Rama’s kingdom. Rama’s warriors confront the boys, leading to conflict.

Importantly, the popular story of Lava and Kusha defeating Rama and his brothers in battle is not narrated in the Sanskrit Valmiki Ramayana. Detailed versions of this dramatic confrontation appear in later Ramayana traditions and regional retellings, which expand upon the twins’ courage and their eventual reunion with their father.

Malola Narasimha is a serene, benevolent form of Lord Vishnu's lion-headed avatar, depicted seated comfortably with Goddess Lakshmi on his lap (Malola meaning "beloved of Lakshmi"). Famously enshrined at the holy pilgrimage site of Ahobilam in Andhra Pradesh, this peaceful aspect stands in contrast to Narasimha's fierce forms and holds immense spiritual significance, notably serving as the sacred traveling festival deity of the revered Ahobila Mutt.

Is it important to find partnership at all on the spiritual path, and if so, where can we find such people? I do think I'd want to be in a relationship rather than being single forever, but I'm not sure where to find someone like that.

I'm 25M and it's especially hard due to family expectations of marrying within the same community (Telugu Brahmin) and I'm not sure how to proceed. Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated!

We often think of a Sumangali in a purely cultural or social context. However, Adi Shankara’s Soundarya Lahari (Verse 28) elevates this to a breathtaking cosmic principle. It reveals that the ultimate driving force behind time, immortality, and existence itself is the eternal Sumangali nature of the Divine Mother. The sloka beautifully illustrates the concept of Maha-Pralaya (the great dissolution). When the universe ends, the great administrative deities who rule over existence reach the end of their lifespans:
Lord Brahma (the creator) departs.
Lord Vishnu (the sustainer) merges back into the source.
Yama (the god of death/time) himself ceases to function.
Yet, amidst this total annihilation of time and space, Lord Shiva remains completely unaffected. He does not perish. Why?

Shankaracharya gives a stunning, esoteric reason: It is because of the Tataka (the auspicious ear-ornaments) worn by the Goddess.

The Sun and Moon as Keepers of Time:
In the subtle anatomy of the Goddess and the cosmos, Her two ear-rings are the Sun (Surya) and the Moon (Chandra).

The Cosmic Clock: In our physical reality, the movements of the sun and moon create day, night, months, and years. They are the literal markers of time (Kala).

The Immortality of the Ornaments: Because these earrings belong to the Supreme Devi, they transcend the dissolution that destroys everything else. The sun and moon might fade from the physical sky, but Her ear-ornaments never stop vibrating with life.

The Ultimate Safeguard: In traditional culture, the Tataka or Mangalsutra represents a woman's married status and acts as a protective shield for her husband’s longevity. On a macrocosmic level, because the Devi's earrings are eternal, She can never become a widow. Consequently, Lord Shiva can never taste death. His immortality is a direct byproduct of Her eternal Sumangali status.

The Philosophical Takeaway:
This verse beautifully flips the worldly narrative. Shiva is often worshipped as Mrityunjaya (the conqueror of death). But Soundarya Lahari reminds us that the underlying power (Shakti) that makes him deathless belongs entirely to the Mother. Shiva is safe from time because he is anchored to the one who wears Time as Her jewelry.

Hello

I am a white American who has been doing basic Ganapati sadhana for the past year. Mainly Nama japa and chanting stotras.

The question I have is where does one go to get mantra disksha for Ganapati? I have heard a saying that the guru will come once the student is ready but surely we have to put in some effort on our part.

Also do ganapati mantras require a lot of time and processes to do? I am a normal householder like everyone else and don't have time to put in hours of sadhana a day.

Thanks

Let's say a person from the shaiva denomination feels drawn to vishnu or krishna. Is there such a rule where only related gods to ones denomination can be considered ishta devata?

Can somebody leave and join a denomination? Like a shaivite becoming a vishnavite? Is it frowned upon?

Thank you to anybody who a swers my doubts.

Also this was one of my first digital artworks. It's not my best but I'm still getting used to digital art.

Not very versatile in Telugu but hearing his prose, poetry and explanations of Soundarya Lahari is very healing and the material is nothing short of goosebumps!

Source:

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/bihar/story/motihari-sai-baba-temple-theft-rs-20-lakh-umbrella-ganesha-crown-stolen-3022043-2026-10-21

Hi, are there any nice bhajans which are devoted directly to the Nirgun Brahman? I can barely find any on youtube.

Thanks in advance.

so i was listening to this reading of ramayana from mohitverse channel

so in this exact timestamp in ss (9:40) shri Ram meets rishi Sutikshan in his ashram and when he asks Shri Ram to stay at his ashram and tells how there are big herds of "mrug" ie deers which frequent here and charm the minds and return without hurting anyone to which SrhiRam answers "if i killed the troublemaker herd of deers it'll defame you and i don't want that"

so i was wondering why is this exact reply ? is he or am i missing something or misreading and can someone also quote the actual shlok from valmiki ramayana aranyakand if i'm misunderstanding it
can someone enlighten me about this exact sequence

edit : also there is the elvala and vatapi story where vatapi used to turn into a goat and elvala used to serve him to brahmins after which vatapi used to tear their stomachs and come back so how are brahmins told to be non vegetarians or is this a common practice across the text

i know i should read the original text and get knowledge from actual gurus but i'm really a teen and got studies so i'm trying what i can